 and I completely lose myself. The month started with one of the Venue magazine awareness gigs in Bristol at the Louisiana, it was a great […] "'Pin It")
BRISTOL BIG JEFF: CUTTING FROM THE EDGE (APRIL 2011)
I always find March a bit of a difficult month to sum up really; it’s about this time that my brain gernerally turns into a bit of a marchmallo (sic) and I completely lose myself.
The month started with one of the Venue magazine awareness gigs in Bristol at the Louisiana, it was a great day of music. My personal highlights were comical punk rockers and Bath City FC mascots Hacksaw, any band who gets its audience to lob bog roll at each other is always going to get a thumbs up from me and it had been ages since I’d last seen them. In fact, the last time I had seen them it was a Christmas show at what used to be the Junction on Stokes Croft (now No51). I can remember them covering the whole room with foam pretending it was snow as they pranced about in their Father Christmas costumes, with comically bad effects.
As per usual at the beginning of each month, I am still getting over some of the shows from the end of the last month and at the end of February there were some real classic contenders for gig of the year – including Gruff Rhys at St George’s and Janelle Monae at the Bristol O2 Academy. To see Gruff Rhys at the St George’s was truly beautiful and everything about it was perfect. His voice resonated around the room wonderfully with the backing of Y Niwl and the occasional guest appearance from Sweet Baboo and Cate Le Bon, the cream of the Welsh indie scene. There were various members of Islet around in the audience too.
With Janelle Monae, you had the feeling of watching a stadium sized superstar in a small venue. Her show was so full of vava voom styled energy that the only way I could really sum her up was that it was like watching a female version of Prince. There was so much going on, huge 20ft video wall, glitter explosions, painting and a weird pretend fight sequence at the end which made it blisteringly brilliant.
I met one of my idols, Tairrie B, frontwoman of American hard metal band My Ruin. When I was a teenager she was one of many female faces from bands that adorned my walls, so I pretty much passed out when I had my photo taken with her. She still has the looks. I had to tell myself to calm down, that wouldn’t be the first time that has had to happen and I doubt it will be the last time either.
Daedelus completely rocked the Thekla with his vastly improvised electronica being played on mostly home made synths. I made quite a few people laugh with my piano hands style dancing, I mean i cant help it – if I hear something going on then I will move my piano hands to it, picking out the rhythm of the notes with my fingers even though I dont actually know what notes are being played. It is also worth noting that hen is the best dressed man around with an ultra suave suit.
The Fleece hosted Frankie and the Heartstrings, who were supported by the brilliant Young Legionnaire. Other acts which captured my imagination last month were Lets Buy Happiness, Dog is Dead and Hjaltalin.
April will bring forth the highlights of Treefight for Sunlight, The Lonely Tourist, the Virgin Marys, Run Walk, Kyuss live, Nutcase Thomas Truax, Cloud Control, Destat, Her Name is Calla, Jeniferever, Lykke Li, A Hawk And A Hacksaw, Zun Zun Egui, Mount Kimbie and more.
